Fake Chinese drugs case: India starts drive in Africa

India has launched a mission in African countries to promote its $10.7-billion pharmaceuticals industry after recent seizures there of fake drugs that were labelled "Made in India" but had their origins in China.

India has launched a mission in African countries to promote its $10.7-billion pharmaceuticals industry after recent seizures there of fake drugs that were labelled "Made in India" but had their origins in China.

"An effort is also being made to sensitise ministers and senior officials of African nations that the Indian generic industry is as safe as its patented versions and is available at much reasonable prices," an official statement said.

This has been a part of the Indian government's campaign to promote brand India and the country's pharmaceutical industry in Africa. A high-level delegation from the commerce ministry was also dispatched to meet African health ministers, the statement added.

The campaign has been launched in the wake of Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria Mahesh Kumar Sachdev informing the commerce ministry about the seizure of a large consignment of fake anti-malarial drugs labelled made in India but produced in China.

"After a laboratory analysis by the Nigerian Government Drug Regulatory Authority, the drugs have been found to be fake and had it not been intercepted, about 642,000 adults would have been affected," said the statement.

The consignment was supposed to be containing Maloxine and Amalar tablets used to treat malaria. "They were produced, packed and shipped from China," the statement added.

Commerce ministry officials had earlier told IANS that India had begun collecting proof from African countries like Nigeria, Ivory Coast and Ghana where such fake Chinese drugs were being passed as India-made, earning disrepute to its pharma industry.

"We have already lodged a protest with the Chinese authorities - at the mission here and also through our embassy in Beijing," a senior official in the commerce ministry said.

"Now the process is on for collecting proof. We need to get hold of the actual fake drugs, find out how it is being peddled and, importantly, trace it to the factories in China where it is being manufactured," the official said, requesting anonymity.

"For this we need, and have also sought, the help of Chinese authorities."